BEN REEL —TIME TO GET REAL (B.Reel Records)

[Maurice Hope]

www.benreel.com Inspired by the likes of Neil Young, Bruce Springsteen, Ben Reel is a singer-songwriter from Silverbridge, County Armagh that merges his work with country rock Americana yet it is his passion and ability as a genuine story-telling that see him grasp emotions of the heart.

It is twenty years since as a teenager he formed his first band, Trim The Velvet but it is as a solo recording act his talent and writer of greater depth he has come to develop an audience. Possessing a warm vocal delivery and backed by The Ben Reel Band of Ronnie O’Flynn (bass), Michael Black (drums) and Mick McCarney and guests John McCullagh and Colin Farrell and backing vocalists the sound is solid and complete.

Mixing standard singer-songwriter reflective songs with the occasional gritty, rock driven affair as in ‘Feel Alive’, Hal Ketchum-ish ‘Keep On Drivin’ (and there is a live version tagged to ‘Old Bog Road’) and with him playing on the stereo-typed abuse inflected on themselves by rock‘n’rollers ‘Old & Wise’. Simple and true to life through not his best writing by a long shot it is set to become big a crowd pleaser. Of stronger critical value Reel’s harmonica plied ‘Old Bog Road’ has him capture the essence of life and how he wants to find a reason before he goes down that old bog road, and like with the powerful opening track ‘Rainy Night’ he creates imagery of a tangible quality. Typical of his Irish heritage it travels the world and like with ‘Time Just Slips Away’ and the rhythmic ‘Looking For A Lost Horizon’ where he is found looking for a better world he spins a spot of home spun philosophy much good is to report.

Of a bluesy edge ‘Who Are You’ shuffles aided by excellent use of keyboards, electric lead guitar and impressive soulful vocal harmonies it could just as easily have been recorded in Muscle Shoals, Alabama and not County Monaghan (how times have changed, for the better too). It is good and quite funky too, and if you are feeling a little bit mellow ‘Raise You Glass’ projects a great deal of sombre hues and an evening tide feel.
Maurice Hope

Listen and buy herehttp://www.cdbaby.com/cd/BenReelBand





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